1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers in general and in particular, to cup-like containers for dairy products and other liquid materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is generally cognizant of the use of cup-like containers for use by in merchandising product and also for use as drinking cups. Examples of such containers are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,050,100, U.S. Pat. No. 1,073,481, U.S. Pat. No. 1,129,364, U.S. Pat. No. 1,953,884, U.S. Pat. No. 2,168,186, U.S. Pat. No 2,240,599, U.S. Pat. No. 2,577,109, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,877.
There are also examples in the prior art of such containers in which a pair of panels forming the opposite sides of the container are joined by a bottom panel and also by infolding bottom side flaps designed to seal the sides of the bottom of the container. An example of such a container is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,988.
Shown in FIGS. 1-3 is a paperboard cup-type container for liquid product, generally indicated at 1, which is prior art to the container of the present invention. The blank for the container 1, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a pair of front and back panels 2 and 3 with the front panel 2 being slightly wider than the rear panel 3. The panels 2 and 3 are joined at their bottom edges by a bottom panel 4. Along each side edge of the bottom panel 4 an infolding flap construction formed of a triangular infolding side bottom flap 5 and a pair of gusset flaps 6 is formed joining the bottom panel 4 to each of the front panel 2 and the rear panel 3. A pair of side flap extensions 7 are formed along the sides of the front panel 2. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the blank of FIG. 1 is assembled into the cup 1 of FIG. 3 by folding up the front and rear panels 2 and 3 and infolding the bottom side flaps 5 with the gusset flaps 6 being folded behind the infolding flaps 5. The side flap extensions 7 of the front panel 3 are inserted inside of the rear panel 3 and are sealed thereto while the gusset flaps 6 are secured to the inside of the rear panel 3 to construct the cup 1 as shown in FIG. 3.